A Brief Introduction to the New Testament

Bart D. Ehrman

Updated to reflect changes in scholarship, especially with regards to textual criticism, early Christian forgery, and the historical Jesus

Updated bibliographies that focus on classic and current scholarship

New boxes on textual criticism, forgery and the historical Jesus, and noncanonical texts

Study questions at the ends of chapters have been replaced by "Take a Stand" boxes, which ask students to imagine a situation in which they need to make a case for a particular way of understanding the material covered in the chapter

A Brief Introduction to the New Testament

Third Edition

Bart D. Ehrman

Description

Featuring vibrant full color throughout, A Brief Introduction to the New Testament, Third Edition, is a concise version of Bart D. Ehrman's best-selling The New Testament: A Historical Introduction to the Early Christian Writings, Fifth Edition. Retaining the approach of the longer textbook while condensing and simplifying much of its material, this volume looks at the New Testament from a consistently historical and comparative perspective and emphasizes the rich diversity of the earliest Christian literature. Distinctive to this study is its emphasis on the historical, literary, and religious milieux of the Greco-Roman world, including early Judaism.

The text incorporates a wealth of pedagogical resources including an extensive text box program, study questions, maps, timelines, and more than seventy photos (including two photo essays). A comprehensive glossary contains more than 200 key terms; these terms appear in boldface type the first time they are used in each chapter and are also listed at the end of each chapter in which they appear.

Reflecting recent changes in scholarship, the third edition features:

* New "Take a Stand" boxes at the end of each chapter that help students synthesize the material

Ideal for undergraduate and seminary classes in the New Testament, Biblical Studies, and Christian Origins, A Brief Introduction to the New Testament, Third Edition, is an engaging and accessible introduction that encourages students to consider the historical issues surrounding these writings.

A FREE 6-month subscription to Oxford Biblical Studies Online (www.oxfordbiblicalstudies.com)--a $180 value--is available with the purchase of every new copy of this text!

Previous publication dates

A Brief Introduction to the New Testament

Third Edition

Bart D. Ehrman

Table of Contents

*=New to this Edition Each chapter opens with a "What to Expect" section and closes with Suggestions for Further Reading and Key Terms. BoxesPreface to the Third EditionPreface to the Second EditionPreface to the First EditionAcknowledgmentsNotes on Suggestions for Further ReadingCreditsMaster Time Line1. INTRODUCTION: WHAT IS THE NEW TESTAMENT? The New Testament: Some Basic InformationOther Early Christian WritingsThe Development of the Christian CanonImplications for Our StudyThe New Testament: One Other Set of ProblemsAt a Glance: The New Testament CanonExcursus: Some Additional Reflections: The Historian and the Believer* Take a Stand2. THE ENVIRONMENT OFEARLY CHRISTIAN TRADITIONS: THE GRECO-ROMAN WORLD The Problem of BeginningsOne Remarkable LifeThe Environment of the New Testament: Religions in the Greco-Roman WorldAt a Glance: The World of Early Christianity* Take a Stand3. THE ENVIRONMENT OF EARLY CHRISTIAN TRADITIONS: THE WORLD OF ANCIENT JUDAISM Monotheism: The Belief in One True GodThe Covenant: Israel's Pact with Its GodThe Law: Israel's Convenantal ObligationsTemple and Synagogue: Israel's Places of WorshipForms of Early JudaismPolitical Crises in Palestine and Their RamificationsThe Formation of Jewish SectsThe Jewish Context for the Traditions About JesusAt a Glance: The World of Early Judaism* Take a Stand4. THE TRADITIONS OFJESUS IN THEIR GRECO-ROMAN CONTEXT Oral Traditions Behind the GospelThe Gospels as Biographies of JesusAt a Glance: The Traditions of JesusSome Additional Reflections: The Authors of the Gospels* Take a Stand5. JESUS, THE SUFFERING SON OF GOD: THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARK The Synoptic ProblemMark, Our Earliest GospelThe Beginning of the Gospel: Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God Who Fulfills ScriptureJesus the Authoritative Son of GodJesus the Opposed Son of GodJesus the Misunderstood Son of GodJesus the Acknowledged Son of GodJesus the Suffering Son of GodJesus the Crucified Son of GodJesus the Vindicated Son of GodConclusion: Mark and His ReadersAt a Glance: The Gospel of Mark* Take a Stand6. JESUS, THE JEWISH MESSIAH: THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW A Redactional Approach to MatthewThe Importance of Beginnings: Jesus the Jewish Messiah in Fulfillment of the Jewish ScripturesThe Portrayal of Jesus in Matthew: The Sermon on the Mount as a SpringboardJesus Rejected by the Jewish LeadersMatthew and His ReadersAt a Glance: Matthew* Take a Stand7. JESUS, THE REJECTED PROPHET: THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE A Comparative Overview of the GospelThe Preface to Luke's GospelLuke's Birth Narrative in Comparative PerspectiveFrom Jew to Gentile: Luke's Portrayal of Jesus the Rejected ProphetLuke's Distinctive Emphases throughout His GospelConclusion: Luke in Comparative PerspectiveAt a Glance: The Gospel of Luke* Take a Stand8. JESUS, THE MAN SENT FROM HEAVEN: THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN The Gospel of John from a Literary-Historical PerspectiveThe Gospel of John from a Redactional PerspectiveThe Gospel of John from a Thematic PerspectiveThe Gospel of John from a Comparative PerspectiveThe Author of the Fourth GospelAt a Glance: The Gospel of John* Take a Stand9. THE HISTORICAL JESUS Problems with SourcesUsing Our SourcesJewish ApocalypticismJesus in His Apocalyptic ContextThe Beginning and End as Keys to the MiddleThe Apocalyptic Deeds of JesusThe Apocalyptic Teachings of JesusThe Apocalyptic Death of JesusAt a Glance: Jesus the Apocalyptic Prophet* Take a Stand10. FROM JESUS TO THE GOSPELS The Beginning of ChristianityJesus' Resurrection from an Apocalyptic PerspectiveJesus' Death, According to the ScripturesThe Emergence of Different Understandings of JesusAt a Glance: From Jesus to the Gospels* Take a Stand11. LUKE'S SECOND VOLUME: THE BOOK OF ACTS The Genre of Acts and Its SignificanceThe Thematic Approach to ActsFrom Gospel to Acts: The Opening TransitionThemes in the Speeches of ActsAt a Glance: The Book of ActsConclusion: The Author and His Themes in Context* Take a Stand12. PAUL THE APOSTLE: THE MAN AND HIS MISSION The Study of Paul: Methodological DifficultiesThe Life of PaulAt a Glance: Paul and HisMission* Take a Stand13. PAUL AND HIS APOSTOLIC MISSION: I THESSALONIANS AS A TEST CASE The Founding of the Church in ThessalonicaThe Beginnings of the Thessalonian Church: A Socio-Historical PerspectiveThe Church at Thessalonica after Paul's DepartureConclusion: Paul the ApostleAt a Glance: I Thessalonians* Take a Stand14. PAUL AND THE CRISES OF HIS CHURCHES: THE CORINTHIAN CORRESPONDENCE 1 CorinthiansAt a Glance: 1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansAt a Glance: 2 Corinthians* Take a Stand15. PAUL AND THE CRISES OF HIS CHURCHES: GALATIANS, PHILIPPIANS, AND PHILEMON GalatiansAt a Glance: GalatiansPhilippiansAt a Glance: PhilippiansPhilemonAt a Glance: Philemon* Take aStand16. THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO PAUL: THE LETTER TO THE ROMANS The Occasion and Purpose of the LetterThe Theme of the EpistlePauline Models for SalvationThe Flow of Paul's ArgumentConclusion: Paul and the RomansAt a Glance: Romans* Take a Stand17. IN THE WAKE OF THE APOSTLE: THE DEUTERO-PAULINE AND PASTORAL EPISTLES Pseudonymity in the Ancient WorldThe Deutero-Pauline EpistlesAt a Glance: The Deutero-Pauline EpistlesThe Pastoral EpistlesThe Historical Situation and Authorship of the Pastoral EpistlesAt a Glance: The Pastoral Epistles* Take a Stand18. FROM PAUL'S FEMALE COLLEAGUES TO THE PASTOR'S INTIMIDATED WOMEN: THE OPPRESSION OF WOMEN IN EARLY CHRISTIANITY Women in Paul's ChurchesWomen Associated with JesusPaul's Understanding of Women in the ChurchWomen in the Aftermath of PaulAncient Ideologies of GenderGender Ideology and the Pauline ChurchesAt a Glance: Women in Early Christianity* Take a Stand19. CHRISTIAN CONFLICTS WITH JEWS AND PAGANS: HEBREWS AND 1 PETER Christians and JewsEarly Christian Self-DefinitionContinuity and Superiority: The Epistle to the HebrewsAt a Glance: HebrewsChristians and PagansChristians in a Hostile World: The Letter of 1 PeterAt a Glance: 1 Peter* Take a Stand20. CHRISTIAN CONFLICTS WITH CHRISTIANS: JAMES, 2 PETER, JUDE, AND THE JOHANNINE EPISTLES Christian Conflicts with ChristiansThe Epistle of JamesJude2 PeterThe Johannine EpistlesUnderstanding the Johannine EpistlesReflections on the Contextual Method for Understanding the Johannine EpistlesConflicts within the Early Christian CommunitiesAt a Glance: Christian Internal Conflicts* Take a Stand21. CHRISTIANS AND THE COSMOS: THE BOOK OF REVELATION The Content and Structure of the Book of RevelationThe Book of Revelation from a Historical PerspectiveApocalyptic Worldviews and Apocalypse GenreThe Revelation of John in Historical ContextAt a Glance: The Book of Revelation* Take a StandGlossary of TermsIndexPhoto Essays

A Brief Introduction to the New Testament

Third Edition

Bart D. Ehrman

Author Information

Bart D. Ehrman is the James A. Gray Distinguished Professor of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He has published numerous books and articles, including The New Testament, Fifth Edition (2011), The Apocryphal Gospels (2011), The Orthodox Corruption of Scripture, Second Edition (2011), and Forgery and Counterforgery (2012), all published by Oxford University Press.

A Brief Introduction to the New Testament

Third Edition

Bart D. Ehrman

Reviews and Awards

"Ehrman's brief introduction is exceptionally student-friendly because of its concise treatment of the New Testament and the clarity with which it explains scholarly approaches to the text. Given its clarity, accessibility, and Ehrman's wonderful prose, it's hardly surprising that this textbook is a first choice for so many instructors."--Nicole Kelley, Florida State University

"The overall quality of the text is outstanding. My students unanimously report that it is the only textbook they have that they do not fall asleep reading, and many of them choose not to sell it back to the bookstore at the conclusion of the term."--Davina C. Lopez, Eckerd College

"Ehrman writes in a way that expresses the ideas clearly, succinctly, and directly. I think students will connect with the content much more easily because of his writing style."--Kathryn Valdivia, University of San Diego and Cuyamaca College